I picked this album up the other day. After the let down that was
'God Hates Us All', this album has rejuvenated my love for Slayer. Dave Lombardo back on the tins brings that familiar
'Seasons in the Abyss' feeling back.
However, another thing that made this album true Slayer is because of the producer. None other than Mr. Rick Rubin. I know people don't think the producer has that much influence on an album, but they really do.
Slayer's first few albums were horrible. It wasn't until Rick Rubin entered the fray in
'Reign in Blood' that Slayer started making horrifically awesome metal. For the
'God Hates Us All' album, Rubin didn't produce it and it wasn't as good as Seasons or Divine was. A lot of the riffs were constantly reused and many of the songs started off and sounded near identical.
Maybe I'm just being a huge optimist, but I think Rubin's return to Slayer and how well their newest album is only bodes extremely well for
Metallica as I mentioned some time ago.
Perhaps I'm just being naive, but I think we're going to see a complete 180 from what we experience with
'St. Anger'. I think we're going to hear Lars' familiar snare sound and I'll pretty much guarantee Hammett solos in their new album.
I think Rick Rubin's career pretty much speaks for itself. There isn't any other music producer that has produced so many albums I've liked than Rubin has.
* 1985: Radio - LL Cool J
* 1986: Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys
* 1986: Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C.
* 1986: Reign in Blood - Slayer
* 1987: Electric - The Cult
* 1988: Danzig - Danzig
* 1988: Tougher Than Leather - Run-D.M.C.
* 1988: South of Heaven - Slayer
* 1988: Masters of Reality - Masters of Reality
* 1989: Dice - Andrew Dice Clay
* 1989: Live Fast, Die Fast - Wolfsbane
* 1990: Trouble - Trouble
* 1990: Danzig II: Lucifuge - Danzig
* 1990: Seasons in the Abyss - Slayer
* 1991: Nobody Said It Was Easy - The Four Horsemen
* 1991: Manic Frustration - Trouble
* 1991: Decade of Aggression - Slayer
* 1991: Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* 1992: Danzig III: How the Gods Kill - Danzig
* 1992: King King - Red Devils
* 1993: Thrall: Demonsweatlive - Danzig
* 1993: Wandering Spirit - Mick Jagger
* 1993: 21st Century Jesus - Messiah
* 1994: Danzig 4 - Danzig
* 1994: American Recordings - Johnny Cash
* 1994: Divine Intervention - Slayer
* 1994: Wildflowers - Tom Petty
* 1995: One Hot Minute - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* 1995: Ballbreaker - AC/DC
* 1995: God Lives Underwater - God Lives Underwater
* 1995: Empty - God Lives Underwater
* 1996: Songs and Music from "She's the One" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
* 1996: Unchained - Johnny Cash
* 1996: Undisputed Attitude - Slayer
* 1996: Sutras - Donovan
* 1998: "Let Me Give the World to You" - The Smashing Pumpkins (an unreleased song)
* 1998: Northern Star - Melanie C
* 1998: VH1 Storytellers - Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
* 1998: Diabolus in Musica - Slayer
* 1998: System of a Down - System of a Down
* 1998: Chef Aid - South Park
* 1999: Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* 1999: Echo - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
* 1999: Loud Rocks - V/A ("Shame" by System of a Down and Wu-Tang Clan, "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing Ta **** Wit" Tom Morello, Chad Smith and Wu-Tang Clan)
* 2000: American III: Solitary Man - Johnny Cash
* 2000: Paloalto - Paloalto
* 2000: Renegades - Rage Against The Machine
* 2001: Amethyst Rock Star - Saul Williams
* 2001: The War of Art - American Head Charge
* 2001: Breath of the Heart - Krishna Das
* 2001: The Final Studio Recordings - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
* 2001: Toxicity - System of a Down
* 2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
* 2002: By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* 2002: Audioslave - Audioslave
* 2002: Steal This Album! - System of a Down
* 2003: Results May Vary - Limp Bizkit (with Terry Date and Jordan Schur)
* 2003: Unearthed - Johnny Cash
* 2003: Door of Faith - Krishna Das
* 2003: De-Loused in the Comatorium - The Mars Volta (with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez)
* 2003: The Black Album - Jay-Z ("99 Problems")
* 2003: Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium - Rage Against the Machine
* 2003: Heroes and Villains - Paloalto
* 2004: Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) - Slipknot
* 2004: Armed Love - The (International) Noise Conspiracy
* 2004: Crunk Juice - Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz ("Stop ****in' Wit Me")
* 2005: Fijación Oral / Oral Fixation - Shakira
* 2005: Make Believe - Weezer
* 2005: Out of Exile - Audioslave
* 2005: Mezmerize - System of a Down
* 2005: Hypnotize - System of a Down
* 2005: 12 Songs - Neil Diamond
* 2006: Christ Illusion - Slayer
* 2006: Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* 2006: Taking the Long Way - Dixie Chicks
* 2006: American V: A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash
* 2006: FutureSex/LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake
* 2007: Untitled new album - The (International) Noise Conspiracy
* 2007: Linkin Park's third studio album - Linkin Park
* 2007: Untitled Metallica album - Metallica
* 2007: Untitled - U2
* 2007: Libertad (Working Title) - Velvet Revolver
* 2007: American VI - Johnny Cash
I don't like them all, but at least 50% of what he's worked on I not only like, I
love. I doubt it's a coincidence.
But, if you're a Slayer fan,
'Christ Illusion' is a must have. It's just pure metal, as only Slayer can deliver it.
